Let's Build A Harley Benton Guitar Kit!

Chapters:
0:00 - Unboxing of the DIY kit
1:11 - The neck (carving, sanding and putting tuners into the headstock)
4:03 - The body (drilling holes and painting the body)
7:02 - The assembly (putting everything together)
9:44 - Sound test

This is the unboxing and build/assembly of Harley Benton's DIY t-style kit.

This Harley Benton DIY kit is a t-style or Telecaster guitar kit. It is a kit because you still have to put the guitar together yourself to create a complete electric guitar. All parts are in the kit, but the wood is still bare and unfinished. Because the body is still unfinished, you can do whatever you want with it and make it your own guitar.

I chose to first drill holes through the wood and then put ferules in it so that the strings could go through the body, then I lightly sanded the body and then I painted the wood with nitro paint or nitrocellulose. First primer, then the color which in my case is sherwood green and then a few coats of clear satin.

I almost didn't use the instructions because it wasn't necessary and because putting the guitar together was relatively easy. I first swapped the two wires of the pickups because it didn't say which one belongs to which, but this is easy to solve.

I found a few interesting things out as I was building this guitar and testing it. I recommend you watching this video if you are thinking of buying one of these guitars.

In the sound test at the end of the video, the guitar sounded very dark because there was a problem with one of the tone control knobs.

[AxellBrooks]

If nothing else, here's a like for the awesome music choices!

[Denovis]

Take Your time sanding a body if You buy one of those kits. The more time You put in it, the better looks You're gonna have at the end.

[tiberius]

Lekker gedaan man! mooi afgewerkt alles tip top... knap!

[credibleink]

Thanks for this. I’ve been thinking about building my own tele too, so it’s good to see the process 👍

[jonlavigne]

I probably would have tossed out those Boomers too, but I have very bad experiences with GHS strings. D’Addario is the way to go.

[shanew]

Would you say this was worth the money? I'm considering getting the jazzmaster one but won't if it isn't giggable.

[triguy]

Where did you find the template for the headstock. It looks great

[skyline]

Very nice. But I just can't shake off that tuner that isn't quite straight.

[marionfarrell]

I feel like my music collection has been raided.

[shanew]

Where do you get your paint and primer and such?

[howardmaryon]

Liked watching the build, and very much liked the music! Is it available anywhere?

[AndrewAHayes]

What no clear coat? I would at least oil the neck or it will get very dirty.

[indiedavecomix]

How are the tuners on these kits? My gut instinct is to immediately toss them for something better. Are they decent?

[droses]

Where did you get the template to mark the cut on the headstock pls?

[richarddelaney]

Thinking about getting one to put together myself. Any tips? Things you would of done differently? I love the natural wood look so not going to paint it, just sand it down real smooth and clear coat it. Great video and great taste in music 👍

[petedazer]

I realize they’re extremely inexpensive, my question, is the wood any good? Everything else can be upgraded

[deniunse]

this is the most useful video for assembling a harley benton telecaster kit, thank you.

[lairdsky]

Question why doesn't Harley Benton simply finish the head make assembly so much easier???

[uacrobata]

Beautiful !!!! work of art !!!! .... amazing ... did you kept the original pickups ? are you palnning to change them ? would you thing it would be worth it ....
now that i saw this video ... i'm startying to imagine doing my own dream Radiohead's Jonny Greenwood Telecaster ... ahaha
im Amazed how your Guitar project ended up!!!!
Brilliant !
Amazing work
Rock on
Rui from Portugal

[markkusaariaho]

Nice work! Mine is already on the way from Thomann´s. One question : where is the decal? A guitar must have a name. Mine will be Ferrari (I have lots of decals left over from car model kits). And the colour o my Git wll be Paranello Red!